The lead ship of a new class of Royal Navy patrol ships is escorting one of the Russian Navy’s recently-commissioned Project 22160 patrol ships as it transits the English Channel.
The second-batch River-class offshore patrol vessel (OPV) HMS Forth had just returned to UK waters from her first foreign port visit when she was called upon to shadow the Russian patrol ship Vasily Bykov .
The Russian Black Sea Fleet is returning from Russia’s Navy Days celebration in St Petersburg.
The Vasily Bykov was previously shadowed by HMS Forth through the UK’s area of interest as it was heading to St Petersburg last month.
HMS Forth’s Executive Officer, Lieutenant Samuel Fields, said: “It has been a particularly busy time for HMS Forth as we generate for deployed operations and continue to test our ship’s capabilities.
“I am proud of the ship’s company for rising to this additional challenge.”
HMS Forth now continues to prepare for her upcoming deployment to the Falkland Islands later this year where she will replace HMS Clyde as the Falkland Islands patrol vessel.